Police Arrest Man After Severely Injured Child Found at Columbus Home
A 22-year-old man has been arrested after a severely injured 2-year-old boy was found inside a home in east Columbus earlier this month.
On May 1, officers with the Columbus Division of Police and emergency medics responded to a call on the 1000 block of Ellsworth Avenue, just south of East Livingston Avenue, for a welfare check on a child.
When they arrived, they discovered a toddler with significant visible injuries. He was immediately transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. Medical staff later determined his injuries were potentially life-altering.
According to court records, the child suffered from bruises scattered across his body, a lacerated liver, and fractures to both his spine and jaw. Investigators learned that the boy had been left at the residence the previous night by a man identified as Nathan Bridges.
The individual who called 911 reported that Bridges claimed the boy’s mother had been arrested earlier that evening. When questioned about the child’s injuries, Bridges reportedly ignored the questions, pretending not to hear.
Detectives later interviewed the child’s mother, who confirmed that she had left her son in Bridges’ care. She also stated that her son was in good spirits when she last saw him. The nature of Bridges’ relationship to the mother or the child has not been clarified in court documents.
Police allege that Bridges made no effort to contact authorities or seek medical assistance for the injured child. He was arrested without incident by SWAT officers on May 13 and has been charged with endangering children. He is currently being held at the Franklin County Corrections Center.
